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In Metropolis, there is a man in a dark suit. He's of a sort of non-descript middle age, not specifically young but nowhere near old.

As for what he's doing?

He's looking around. Learning. Absorbing local color. Picking up the lingo (which isn't as hard as it should be) and the customs. Occasionally having a meal somewhere and libating to that ever so beneficent monarch of the dead, Hades, just so he can explain the custom to curious onlookers. Carefully working minor miracles wherever it'll do the most good-- and once again, advertizing for the once and future Lord of the Underworld. Looking at maps, trying to figure out where he can start an underworld on this continent.

It's not his world. There's a lot to learn.

Good thing he got the brains in the family.

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But is it hot?

"You're not a 'bender'" Accusingly. It didn't feel like proper bending.

Only where it needs to be, along the seams. Concrete probably shouldn't weld itself back together, really, but one of the things gods are good at is telling the laws of physics to sit down and shut up.

"Nope. Different world. Different rules."

Some Earthbenders can do it, too. If necessary.

"OK," Toph says. "How'd you do it?"

"Hm. Somehow I don't think you'd be impressed with the big mysterious divine powers act." Actually, he suspects she'd just keep pushing until she got bored or he got irritated enough to smite her.

So instead there is the careful but subtle assurance taken that nobody will stumble across them, and Hades asks, "Wanna see?"

"I can't see." Toph pulls her cheeks down to overemphasise her lack-of-seeing.

She assumes he was offering a demonstration and picked the wrong metaphor.

"True, poor word choice, I admit that. Sometimes the jokes fall flat, it happens. But somehow? I think you'll get the idea."

Because there's a lot of smoke and heat pouring from somewhere in 'Aiden's' immediate vicinity, warming the concrete. Building a shape around him and over him that... is made of smoke, yeah, but seems to have a weight and a substance that smoke just doesn't...

The thing about smoke is that there is ash and dust in there, so Toph can get some sort of feel of what's going on. Also, there's the heat.

"OK, that's like firebending."

She's actually fighting not to sound impressed.

The smoke resolves into a shape, a long chiton hemmed in trailing smoke and a considerably taller body and there's no trace of the mortal anymore-- sure, he's got a proper biology, but it only really seems to work if he's using it.

Oh, and his head's on fire. Quietly so. But it's the sort of thing one might find worth noting.

"Slightly more involved," says a voice that is at once the same as it was and more present than it was, "But fire's a specialty, too."

Actually, Toph doesn't notice the head-on-fire thing. It doesn't leave the right impression and istn' touching the earth. But she can pick up the change in body better.

- "OK, that's pretty cool."

She means it's awesome. But she's Toph, and isn't going to meniton it

"I do try," Hades agrees. "Name's Hades. Lord of the Dead, God of the Underworld as soon as I get one together, Ruler of stuff that happens beneath the ground."

Thus you are interesting, awesome earthbending kid.

"If slightly displaced. Still getting attuned with the primal forces of whatever-- it's a process."

"So you're like a spirit."

'Like' not 'is'. Toph's adjusting things to her worldview, and she's not bad at it.

"How's the process?"

He gets the concept, even if he's skewing it towards his worldview. "Like. I'd guess a little bigger. But like, yeah.

"The process is... processing. This is one screwed up world, kiddo. Lots to get working again."

Well, it's the first time Toph's ever met a spirit. Now she feels one up over Sokka, and Katara...

...She feels guilty for feeling superior to Katara now.

"Well, good luck with it."

it's not like she can help, right?

Hey, dead happens.

"Thanks.

"... Hey, I don't suppose I could interest you in worship? Nothing strenuous, promise. And it's not like you wouldn't get anything out of the deal."

...

Give Toph a second while she figures this out.

"What would I get out of it?"

"Generalized blessings-- basically good luck-- and the right to call on a little divine intervention in extremes." Hades clears his throat and stands up a bit straighter. "Course, the formal version is a little more along the lines of 'My blessings and good fortune to you for your praise, O mortal, and call upon the name of Hades, Host of Many, in your times of need and I shall aid.' But I think we can skip the purple prose."

Toph considers this.

"...I'm pretty good. Don't need that much luck."

"Fair enough, I know how that goes. You're the capable one.

"Just in case you change your mind, or you end up in an emergency, you want blessings or smiting called down on someone else, whatever? Spill food or drink into a hollow in the earth with your face averted, and dedicate it in my name. Until I get a temple set up, that's pretty much a direct line."

Hey, she's human. What Hades needs from humanity is a little different than what he's willing to make deals with dead chicks and automatons to gain. He needs her belief.

Or at least the word of mouth.

"OK," Toph agrees. It's nice to have a plot device to use later.

She should know. At the time she came from, she and her friends had more plot devices than they knew what to do with.

"Hades, right? I can do that."

Indeed it is! Just in case. This world's full of Sylars and other hazards.

"You got it," he agrees. There's a brief slightly-more-than-man-sized column of flame and smoke and there is once again what seems to be a mortal man in front of Toph-- and Hades releases the divine hold on this little corner of the city. Hey, can't tie up traffic for too long. Somebody could get hurt, and Hades doesn't have anywhere to put them just yet.

Not coming from any background where deals with gods of the underworld are even heard of, let alone frowned on, Toh considers this a good deal.

"Hey, thanks, Hades."

She's lucky-- this deal is straightforward. Right now any properly directed invocation is a good invocation, and Hades will take what he can get whether or not there's genuine belief behind it.

With any luck, she'll beseech in front of a crowd of people, and things will get easier. "De nada. This is... sort of what I do."

Well, she's met him, so she's willing to believe as well.

Not as much as she believes in Aang, or Sokka, but it'll do.

"Well, I'll let you know if I need some spirit mojo done."

Ha, it's like she's almost an Avatar herself.

"I'll be around. Take care of yourself, Toph the Awesome."

"Always do!"

And Toph the Awesome - who likes that name almost better than The Runaway - is in a much better mood to go find Sokka and Claire.

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aidoneus-rex.livejournal.com - 2008-04-11 08:29 (UTC) - Expand

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